A coffee table that just needed a little wash..... named Mcnarias

My client "Miss M" brought me her coffee table a few weeks ago......and when she dropped it off, we discussed plans. "Miss M" really loved the coffee table as it is { I agreed....the wood and structure are gorgeous!} but it just needed a little something in order to fit into the design plan of the new house. One of the desires for the final outcome was that the original wood grain would still shine through. There were talks of greens and blues as well........BUT.....I mulled this over in my mind for quite sometime...and the tiny part of me {miniscule...teeny....tiny...itsy bitsy} that is a wood purist just really wanted to preserve the original beauty of the wood. I ran my thoughts by "Miss M" and she told me to go for it. {She is awesome like that!}I created a "gray wash" for this finish by mixing one part paint to two parts water. I applied the wash with a brush, and then while it was still wet.... I started dabbing and wiping with a shop towel. The wash settled nicely into all of the cracks and grooves, and I really started to like what was happening. I repeated this process two more times, and then after the final application was dry...I went back in with a sanding sponge and gently removed any heavy places. I finished this piece off with an oil based polyurethane called Arm - R - Seal by General Finishes { I talk about this product in the book!} and....Wham Bam thank YOU maa'm......she is a beaut!xo,Barb